Game



PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD A. KOELLHOFFER, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

GAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug'. 17, 1920.

Application ineav June 2o, 1919. serial No. 305,458.

To all 'wlw/fa it may] concer/a Be it known that I, BERNARD A- Kommnorrnn, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Newark, in the county olE Essex and State oi New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to game apparatus, and more particularly to a gaine board with which game pieces may be used for playing different games.

The game board and game pieces are designed to be `used particularly to play either one oil two games, designated as base ball and catching the burglar.` rllhe board and gaine pieces may be employed for playing other games but the details of the two games mentioned will be set forth hereinafter in detail and an understanding of the invention may be gained from the description and from a consideration oit' the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a plan view of the game board constructed in accordance with my :invention. j

Fig. 2 is a view of the vari-colored game pieces which are to be moved about the game board, and

Fig. 3 is a view of ordinary dice used in playing the game.

Referring to the drawings wherein is illustrated the preferred -form of my invention, in which like numerals of reference indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, the board l is substantially square and has its surface divided into small squares or blocks colored alternately red and white. At the exact center ot the board in one of the red squares, is a circular spot 2 which is designated as the pitchers box7 when playing the game of base ball. A diamond7 is inscribed on the board around the pitchers box by the black lines 3, l 5 and 6, and at one corner of the diamond, one of the squares is marked with a Z to indicate the home plate 7. First base, second base and third base are indicated at S, 9 and l0 by circles at the other three corners of the diamond. The fould lines, plainly marked in Fig. 1 eX- tend parallel to two adjacent sides of the diamond 'from the home plate 7. Two Vplayers play the game of base ball, and each may be referred to as the manager of a base ball. team. Each person selects nine games pieces o'l like color and each person then throws the dice to determine who shall be first at bat. The player taking the held, places his men around the field in approximately the same positions, with respect to the diamond and the bases, as are assumed by the players engaged in the well known game of base ball. The players will be hereinafter designated as managers of the teams. The manager o'l the team in the iield .may place his men on any oi the red squares and change their j uosition at any time to suit himself during the progress of the game, just before the batter strikes. rlhe manager oil? the team at bat places one of his men 011 the home plate and throws three dice.

Itho shows l-Q- or 2-2-6 it is a foul ball. i The man at the bat then moves exactly as many squares away from the home plate as the total number shown by the dice, which may be either nine or twelve and he may move in any direction desired outside of the foul line and only on the red squares.

The manager ol the team in the .field then throws two dice and if the catcher, or any other player indicated by one of the game pieces in the field, can move, according to the number cast by the dice, so that he will stop on the square on which the batter has stopped, moving as many squares `on the red squares asthe exact number shown by the dice, the batter `is out. The man after the batter, who now represents the ball, may move `forward a iew squares, then move to the left or right and back again or in any desired manner to stop on the ball or catch, it with his last jump. It the ball is not caught in this manner, that is it the game piece does not stop on the desired square, the batter strikes again. A ltair ball is caught in the same way except that the players move on fiair territory.

It' the batter throws three of a kind, that is a home run and any player on the bases completes the circuit and scores a run. If the dice cast show more than thirty points, the ball is considered as being over the fence and a home run is also scored. In this connection it will be noted that the marginal edges of the board, parallel to the ioul lines are marked, from 0 to 30, this indicating it not caught.

the eXtent of the playing lield, and the numbers assisting the players in moving the desired number of squares.

It' the batter throws 1 1-2 it is one ball.

If the batter throws 1 1-8 it is a strilef Any numbers thrown, excepting those stated, will be fair balls and the batter moves out into the iield in any direction he chooses twice as many squai-'esa-s the totalnumber he has thrown, and takes his position-V on any square inv that row inside of the ioul line. rlihe rows are at right angles and every even numbered row is indicated by a ligure on the edge of the board and it will be observed that second base is at the intersection of the two rows numbered 20. As an example of the method of playing the game, suppose the batter threw 6 2-2 his total number would be ten. This number multiplied by two gives him twenty squares to more away from the home plate and he, therefore, may take his position on any of the r'ed squares i-n th'e row between first and second baseer on therow between second and third base. li' his totalV were thirty he could take a position on the extreme row of squares near the marginal edge of the board inside or" the foul line. Thich'ever square he selects represents the spot where the ball lands.- A total of twenty-four or less is considered a one base hit if not caught. A total of twentysi'x or twenty-eight is a two base hit if not caught. A total of thirty is a three base hit Three diceare cast by the player representing the team at bat. T wo di-ce are cast by the opponent representing. the manager of the team in the ield. Then the batter has taken his plaee on the square selected by him in the field, the manager of the team in the field throws two dice and if any one of the men in the field, nearest the batter can stop on the square on which he is located, with the last jump of his move, moving as many square on the red as the exact number shown by the dice, the batter is out. If not, the batter is. considered safe, on first, second or third base according to the number thrown as above indicated. The manager of the team at the bat places his menen the bases as the hits are made and ailiother on the home plate to make the next P @Y Before throwing the three dice for the strike, the manager of the team at bat may give any one of his men on the bases a lead 01T the base by placing him on one of the squares more or less than half way between the bases. yIf he does this, the manager of the team'in thetield may throw his two dice to yseeif his pitcher can catch the manon the base. It the total number thrown by the pitcher as indicated by the dice is an even number, the base runner is considered out. Ii it is an uneven number the runner gains the base he happens to be nearest to. Iiithe batter is not put ont on `lirst base, all of the other base runners may advance as many `bases as he does according to the hit made. i

if a batter is caught, the fielder who is moved to stop on the square occupied by the batter, may put out the base runner with the same number of jumps he used tor the batter, beginning on the square where the batter was caught. lt this is accomplished, a double play is considered to have been made.

It, however, there was a man trying to get home from third base, the fielder stopping on the square occupied by the batter .may try to stop on the square occupied by the man trying to get home from third instead of on a man running tor .second or third. This is done by moving the man twice the number of squares he caught the batter with. It he succeeds in this, the batter, and the man running for home would be col'lsidered out, making a double play.

it will be observed that the system of playing the game closely adheres to that followed in the ordinary outdoor game of base ball and` situations like three ont, bases all occupied two out with three on bases and similar situations occur as elften as they would occur in a regular game.

The apparatus mayalso be employed for playing a game called catching the bnrglar.

To play this game, the black lilies in the center et the board are employed and it will be noted that the square designating the base ball diamond in the above referred to game, is provided with lilies di\fiding the large square into four smaller squares which serve to indicate rooms in a dwelling, and the central spaces represent passage-ways or corridors in the dwelling. The open spaces in the lines represent doors leading` into the dwellings and establishing communication between the rooms and corridors. At the extreme corners ol1 the beard, relatively large circles are indicated, these representingr entrances to the grounds surrounding the d\\f'ellings. rl`he black gaine piece, shown in Fig. 2, is employed to represent the burglar and the game may be played by one or more persons. The dill'erent colored game pieces are employed to represent policemen or oilicers and these are moved according to the spots shown by (he dice when cast.

The oiiicers take their positions respectively at one of the four gates or corners on the corner of the board which represents the grounds surrounding the house or dwelling. rThe burglar takes his position in the center of the house on the spot indicated by the numeral 2. The first oiiicer throws llO by the dice and the other oiiicers follow in order each casting the dice in turn..

'Ihe burglar, represented by the player having the black game piece then casts the dice and after observing the respective positions of the officers moves through the halls or corridors toward one of the door ways leading to one of the four rooms, in this manner seeking to avoid the nearest officer, and thereby attempting to get out of the house in order to make his way toward one of the gates at thecorners of the grounds.

As the burglar has four oiiicers against him he is allowed to move twice the number of squares which he throws whenever less than six is thrown. Otherwise he moves the exact number thrown by the dice. No player may jump over another, he must move around him. If any oflicer should block a window or door, no other' player can pass through it, but, he may move as close as possible to the officer blocking the passage-way and it he so desires, choose another route to get near or catch the burglar and gain the full benefit of his throw.

In order to catch the burglar', one of the officers may stop exactly on the square occupied by the burglar, that is, the move indicated by the dice must bring the oiiicer exactly on the square occupied by the burglar. If the oificer throws more than is necessary he may move back and forth on two squares until he can stop on the square occupied by the burglar, with his last jump, or he may move in a square or around an officer or around the burglar so long as the current number of moves is made. In the same manner the burglar must j ump on one of the squares in the corner of the ground in order to make his get away7 and win.

In passing through the windows or doors leading from the corridors to the rooms of the dwelling, no player is allowed to cross the ends of the walls but must move so as to enter or leave on the only two squares available for that purpose, as a door or window, as will be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 1. If the burglar should be surround ed by the four officers so that he is unable to move, the officers must throw one dice until one of them throws number 1, thus winning the lgame or capturing the burglar. This game will be found to `be amusing, and if played in accordance with the rules above specified many difficult situations will occur and mental alertness required to win.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawing have reference to what might be considered to be the approved or preferred form oi my invention. I desire it to be understood that I may make such changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a board divided into small squares, and indicated by different colors, a boundary line of a distinguishing color forming a square outline indicating the walls of a dwelling at the center the board, similar lines within the boundary inclosing squares with the corners of said dwelling boundary so as to allow corridors within the dwelling, said lines being broken away so as to allow entrance `from the rooms to the corridors and to the exterior of said boundary, and characters marked. on the corners of the board and indicating gates for entrances to the grounds surrounding the dwelling, and game pieces indicating a burglar and oflicers adapted to be moved in the squares of the board.

2. A game apparatus comprising a square board having small squares inscribed thereon, and alternately colored in two different colors, a square outlined at the center of said board, squares situated within said first mentioned square so as to have spaces therebetween.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence oi two witnesses.

BERNARD A. KOELLHOFFER.

Witnesses i BERNARD L. KOELLHOFFER, WALTER J. KOELLHOFFER. 

